


Liberation and Liberator

by SkySparks



Series: Arslan Senki Fandom Week 2016 (August 22-28) [4]
Category: Arslan Senki | Heroic Legend of Arslan, xxxHoLic, 甲鉄城のカバネリ | Koutetsujou no Kabaneri | Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress (Anime)
Genre: Biba - Freeform, Everyone else are just background characters, Gen, Very minor mentions of everyone else other than Arslan, and Yuuko
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-05
Updated: 2016-09-05
Packaged: 2018-08-13 03:49:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7961320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkySparks/pseuds/SkySparks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Through the meddling of the Dimenson Witch, Ichihara Yuuko, the leader of the Liberation, Biba Amatori, meets King Arslan the Liberator. Story told through a series of 20 drabbles, each under 100 words. Crossover of Arslan Senki, Kabaneri no Kotetsujo, and XXXHolic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Liberation and Liberator

**Author's Note:**

> Day/Prompt: Day 7/Free-for-All
> 
> The last installment of the fandom week. I wasn’t able to finish the entire week because of school and homework, but I still finished some thing. The event was fun, and I hope that I could do it again! 
> 
> Biba is slightly out-of-character, but that’s because I made some story changes. Don’t expect him to be the same as the show Biba; the story was set several years before.

**Wish**  
“Biba Amatori, what is your wish?” the woman asked. Perhaps it was because of the air around her, the artificial and frozen beauty that hung around her face, or the fact that Biba had been taking a stroll through one of the few guarded and safe cities left when he happened upon this unusual shop, but he knew she wasn’t normal. The woman, Ichihara Yuuko was inhumane, but not in the same way the kabane or even the kabaneri were. Interesting.

**Smile**  
Biba smiled kindly back at her. He had mastered the art of smiling without feeling any semblance of happiness a long time ago. After all, a smile was simply stretching the corners and quirking the lips up. “Ichihara-san, I wish to liberate all the people from the kabane and from their fears.”

**Human**  
Yuuko twirled her pipe and contemplated his words. “In other words, you want them stop being human.” To feel fear is a natural human reaction. One cannot prevent or liberate people from fear unless the people have surpassed the defined limits of a human being. What a foolish wish and sadly one of the many examples of a good desire gone wrong. Perhaps she could nudge him in the right direction.

**Answer**  
Biba’s smile slipped when he heard her next question. “Then, do you truly know what liberation means, Biba Amatori?” Of course he does, wasn’t the answer obvious? “Liberation meant freedom; liberation meant the absence of something. By being liberated, one was no longer plagued by what had previously troubled them.” If he could liberate his father..., then maybe, they could become a family again. No, that was a foolish dream.

**Offer**  
Hmmm, a tricky customer. She could still deal with him if needed. She motioned for Maru and Moro to hand her the case she asked them to retrieve previously. “Here is my offer,” She opened the case. “This black vial contained black blood, which can turn female kabaneri into a nue, or as you call them, a fused colony. The white blood contains the antidote. Also included in this case are instructions to create these solutions.”

**Payment**  
Biba swallowed and gazed at the contents of the innocuous suitcase. Indeed, there were two vials, one black and one white, nestled in the foam. If this woman was telling the truth, then he certainly needed to move up his entire schedule and reorganize his plans. His eyes sharpened. It was clear any of his pretexts would be worthless on her. He needed to be direct. “What payment do you want in return?” 

**Precious**  
Yuuko took another long puff of her pipe. Now that was a good question. What she handed him would certainly cost quite a many human lives, but the consequences would not faze him one bit. Therefore, her price needed to make him second-guess himself. “Your sanity and rationality,” She finally said. “The closer your plans come to fulfillment, the more you will slip in your judgment. I will also offer the safety labels if you agree to meet someone.”

**Decision**  
That certainly doesn’t sound to be a bad price. Biba never intended to live past getting his revenge on his father. What need did he have of his sanity? And this witch, to not include the safety precautions of the drugs, he should have been more careful next time he bargained. Perhaps he was losing his edge seeing as his captains and subordinates took care of most things. “As long as this person you want me to meet do not intend to cause me harm, I accept both offers.”

**Transportation**  
Immediately after he declared his acceptance, a pruple circle glowed beneath him. The bright light blinded him, but Biba felt certain he could trace the outlines of an elaborately-designed staff. The last thing he heard was the witch’s voice telling him: “Do not worry, King Arslan the Liberator is a kind man who will not treat you badly. You only need to stay until the sun sets.”

**Meeting**  
When he regained consciousness again, he was met with the green eyes of a brown-haired youth. Based on appearances along, he was younger than Biba by only a few years. “Ah, you’re awake,” the teen nodded. “You suddenly appeared out of nowhere into Arslan-Heika’s throne room. Everyone was quite surprise.”

****Silence  
Biba refrained from saying anything. During times when one was ignorant, less words and more observations were needed. Fortunately, the teen didn’t seem bothered by his silence, choosing to continue on. “If you didn’t have Ichihara’s note and seal on you, Arslan-Heika’s bodyguards would have killed you while you were unconscious. The King has instructed me to inform him as soon as you awoke. He will be here in five minutes. Be ready to tell him who you are and why you are here.”

**Voice**  
Currently, it would be best to listen to his caretaker’s words. Based on his tone and manner, the teen was a long-time companion of this Arslan-Heika or a long-time worker in the place Ichihara-san sent him to. “Ah, it’s great that you’re awake.” A voice sounded. It was masculine, but still lacking the deep and smooth characteristic of the completion of puberty. He judged the speaker to be the same age as the teen in front of him, perhaps slightly older or younger.

**White**  
When Biba turned his head to meet the new presence, his first thought was white. The teen’s hair was white, flowing straight down to hang just above his shoulders. His skin was fair and beautiful, as well. If Biba hasn’t heard his voice prior to meeting him, he would have assumed the teen to be a female. In addition, for some reason, Biba felt a sense of innocence, purity, and tranquility around the new presence that he never felt around anyone else, baring perhaps Horobi.

**Introduction**  
“Pardon my sudden intrusion, my name is Biba Amatori, leader of the Liberation movement,” He inclined his head. He didn’t know who the new person was, but it was always best to act politely. “Ichihara-san suddenly transported me to this place. Please excuse me for any bother this has caused you.” He smiled kindly.

**Introduction (2)**  
“Haha,” the young man laughed. Suddenly, Biba felt hyperaware of how fake his smile looked in comparison to this white-haired man not even out of puberty yet. “It wasn’t any trouble. We understand Yuuko’s eccentricities. A pleasure to meet you, Biba Amatori. I am Arslan, King of Pars. I hope you will enjoy your stay here with us until Yuuko called you back.”

**Discovery**  
This? This was the man Ichihara-san wanted him to meet? What could he do? However, immediately asking that, Biba felt that he already knew and that he finally understood why she asked him what “Liberation” meant. He may be the head of the Liberation movement, but in front of this Librator, he can’t seem to liberate anything.

**Admiration**  
“There are such things as man-eating kabana in your world, and you wish to rid them for the people? That’s a very admirable goal of you.” Arslan placed his hands over Biba’s. His eyes gained a sudden sad light. “If it doesn’t bother you that we don’t worship the same gods, may I pray for the lost lives of your people?” This teen, no, it would be an insult to call him any less a King. This King called Biba admirable, but Arslan deserved much more admiration than he.

**Prayer**  
“This is Farangis, a priestess of the temple of Mithra. Mithra is a figure of Covenant and Oath, but she is also a war goddess,” Arslan then turned to the scantily clad, dark-haired woman. “Farangis, this is our visitor sent by Yuuko. His name is Biba Amatori, and he is a warrior from a far-away land. Would you please offer a prayer for his people, both alive and wandering?”

**Meaning**  
“Arslan-Heika, Ichihara-san said she will transport me back once the sun set. Before I go, may I ask you a question?” Despite the troubles and the protests of his subordinates, a black-clad man in particular was vocal about his disagreement; Arslan had accompanied him through the entire day, teaching him various things about the various culture, food, weaponry, and sights of Pars. “What is the meaning of liberation?”

**Return**  
Upon opening his eyes once after the second transportation, Biba saw Ichihara-san’s mysterious smile as she wordlessly slid the case to him. He nodded and left. Yuuko could only hope that Biba kept in mind what he had experienced today. Certainly, as his sanity and rationality left him, it would become exponentially more difficult. However, she made the correct decision to send him to Arslan-Heika. His Majesty’s answer was a wonderful one. She made a note to write it down later.

**Author's Note:**

> It's up to you how to interpret Arslan's answer. Personally, I see Liberation as self-control, not the complete banishment of something, but the acknowledgment that it exists and the acknowledgment that you won't let it control you.
> 
> There are times, however, when fear is needed for life. For example, a child fearing a parent's scolding them will natural do things to avoid that, such as not talking to strangers, eating their vegetables, etc. Only when that fear turns debilitating and interfere with normal judgment can we call it back. However, what's bad is us, because we can't apply morality to an emotion. We can, though, apply morality to how we deal with and channel those emotions.


End file.
